Interlude
by ho.wide.world
Summary: Naruto is no longer a bumbling genin but a bumbling jounin whose hunger isn't only for ramen, now his eyes trails the steps of a chuunin, too bad the chuunin is already in a relationship. [NaruIru, KakaIru, hopefully NaruIruKaka or KakaIruNaru] Chpt. 3 up
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Naruto is no longer a bumbling genin but a bumbling jounin whose hunger isn't only for ramen now his eyes trails the steps of a chuunin, too bad the chuunin is already in a relationship.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a thing.

* * *

**Interlude**

Burning brown eyes stared into the softest of blue ones as they began to shimmer and widen. "Please Iruka, just another bowl," the blond jounin pleaded and pushed out his bottom lip. He was beginning to contemplate using the dreaded _lip quiver_ to deliver the kill, but the chuunin waved his hand in defeat.

"Yes, yes but_ last_ _one_," the brunet stressed as he waved over the Ichiraku shopkeeper, "Another bowl." Iruka breathed in defeat and leaned in towards Ayame, who was boiling noodles. "If you forget to add any pork or eggs or _whatever_, fine by me, the _brat _can just suck down the broth," Iruka joked as the girl snorted through her nose; her round belly shook, heavy with life.

"You're the best, Iruka." Naruto laughed as he poked the man in the arm, enjoying the physical contact.

Iruka wrinkled his nose as he offered his companion a dour look. "Of course I am," the man replied with a cocky grin, and ruffled the jounin's hair, which was not as spiky as when he was child. Now the yellow tresses fell neatly onto his forehead. It was nice change, very mature. "So how are things?" the Academy teacher asked, hoping Naruto knew what he meant; it had been only a week after the announcement of Sasuke and Sakura's engagement.

The man nodded, a small smile on his face. "Good, really, I'm happy for both of them," the jounin responded honestly and blew the bangs from his face. "I stopped crushing on Sakura ages ago, Iruka. Don't get me wrong. There will always be a place for Sakura—for both of them—in my heart, but she loves him... a lot." The fox-faced man grinned and the smile broadened when his fifth bowl of ramen was placed in front of him.

"Why Naruto, I think you're maturing." Iruka teased, patting the blonde on the head. The blonde snorted as he piled noodles into his mouth, and Iruka snorted right back at him as he stole a fishcake from his superior's bowl. "Well now that you are _so_ mature, I hope you'll be treating me next time."

Naruto nodded his head as he began to suction in the food, nearly choking on a boiled egg. "Yeah, yeah, how about tomorrow? We can go for lunch or dinner or both..." The blonde trailed off when he quickly noticed Iruka had turned around in his seat, his whole posture changing and a grin stretching across the man's scarred face. Naruto's shoulders slumped and it felt as if a piece of ice were freezing the pit of his stomach.

_It was Kakashi, of course._

It was like a blur, or maybe Naruto had chosen to ignore it all as the Copy Ninja sidled up nice and close to the Academy teacher, or as close he would dare in public that wouldn't incite Iruka's wrath. With quick greetings and even quicker farewells, Iruka left with his lover, leaving Naruto with a free meal and ruffle on his yellow head.

The fox-faced man stared into his empty bowl for a few moments, then stood to leave with a tip of his head to the shop keeper and the soon to be mother, Ayame. He didn't want them to evaluate the frown etched on his face and how the moon illuminated the tiny gleam of red in his eyes.

:p:

He was unsure of when his feelings for Iruka had changed, or perhaps deep down he was never looking for the father Iruka had already become. Mixed between his unrequited love for Sakura and his on-again-off-again brotherly friendship with the Uchiha heir, he had never questioned his feelings for the Dolphin teacher.

But there were times he acted oddly, almost out of his control and not realising his actions till it was too late. Most of these actions were meant to rebuff Kakashi's advances on Iruka. Some worked and many failed. When he was younger he was able to use childish innocence as a weapon when their relationship started. He got between the couple when they wanted to be close: like crowding into Iruka's lap when Kakashi wanted to snuggle, or snagging the teacher's hand before the Copy Ninja could.

Naruto opened his narrowed eyes; his feet had taken him back home to his apartment. Not wasting anymore time the man stumbled into his home and sprawled out on his couch. A memory that tugged at his heart began to surface.

_Around the time he was fifteen, or maybe sixteen, his love for the strong and beautiful kunoichi of team seven grew duller and duller and the time spent with Iruka-sensei melted into blissful moments of quickened heartbeats and clumsy accidents. Done with his training for the day he decided to find Iruka and demand a late dinner._

_The teacher was cloistered up in his classroom in the Academy; nothing unusual, as Iruka usually worked late on Fridays to lessen his workload on the weekend. What was out of the ordinary was that he wasn't alone. He should have left, he should have turned around and pretended Iruka was waiting for him at Ichiraku with a big smile on his face, but like a curious cat he eyed the narrow crack in the door._

_It was Iruka, back sprawled against his desk and divested of his clothing and looking downright fuckable. Kakashi must have thought that too as his hands glided all over the chuunin's body. Naruto recoiled in shock, his heart pounding a mile a minute and his hair damp with sweat as he took off the down the hall, ignoring a tell-tale groan and the thumps of lovemaking._

The man hissed, his hands curling into the cushions of his couch as the image burned itself into his retinas. Naruto got up, shrugging off his vest as headed to his bathroom. Kicking off his pants and wrenching his boxers to his ankles, he sat down on the toilet and grasped his erect cock.

The jounin growled from within his throat, he could see it. Iruka, naked and panting, bent over his desk, papers fluttering to the ground. With his back exposed and his ass hanging from the desk, Naruto, not Kakashi, _never Kakashi_, would run a nimble finger along the jagged scar that started from between his shoulder blades to his lower back. The scar Iruka had got when he had protected Naruto from the traitor, Mizuki.

"Iru—" the blonde choked as his weeping prick swelled and continued leaking pre-cum. Naruto bit his lip as he imagined rubbing the tip of his cock against the chuunin's entrance. He came hot and fast as he saw himself slamming balls-deep inside the teacher.

Chanting the chuunin's name like a mantra, Naruto relaxed his heated body against the cool surface of the toilet. The jounin struggled to get his breathing intact and shook his head as his leaf headband slipped and covered his left eye.

"Damn." He muttered and stiffened when he heard the faint tapping of messenger bird clacking at his window.

:p:

Naruto took another gulp of his beer and rubbed the hair from his tired blue eyes. He had returned to his lovely village of Konoha from a disaster of a mission. He had returned to nothing but lectures and a suspension from missions, indefinitely, due to... due to. The jounin shook his head his mind was becoming too buzzed to even remember as he took another gulp and finished his glass. He waved over the bartender as a warm and fresh smelling body plopped down beside. Smelt like fresh flowers and the sharp vinegar smell of a hospital.

"Easy, Naruto, that's not ramen, you know." A pretty-looking kunoichi nagged as she ran her hand through pink hair, the engagement ring on her finger glinting in the shady bar.

The blonde grinned as he practically inhaled the liquid to get on the female's bad side... He just loved flirting with instant death. "Sakura-chan, what brings you here?" the fox-faced man asked, patting his friend on the back, but quickly retracting his hand as if burnt. "Don't tell me you've come to lecture me, too." The boy hiccupped as he gave her a narrowed glare.

Sakura lightly bopped him on the head, which caused him to slam his forehead into the bar. "No, you've got enough of that from Tsunade-sama _and_ the Council. I'm here for you to rant at," the kunoichi muttered as she hailed the bartender and grabbed a beer herself.

"_Hn_, _hn_, Sakura-chan, you're so nice, why don't you forget about that idiot Sasuke and elope with me?" Naruto laughed, fingering the bruise on his forehead from the hit. The man blinked and his head swerved back and forth. "Where is Sasuke anyway? I haven't seen him since you announced the engagement."

The female jounin shook her head. "I think he was getting annoyed with all the congratulations and the giggling and declared that if he couldn't shut them up _permanently_ then he needed some mission time," the woman muttered, allowing her eyes to stray to her ring.

"_Hehe_, wish I could have seen his face... But at least I saw him when _you_ proposed, looked like a fish out of water, like a popped puffer fish." Naruto snorted, coughing up his drink as Sakura glared at him, contemplating smacking him in the face.

"At least he has someone, Naruto," the girl began as the man put on a hurt look that quickly slipped off his face; he was too drunk to care. "You know, some of us think your behaviour is due to bottled up sexual frustration... When was the last time you've been in a relationship or on a date?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked as she shifted in her seat. The blonde shrugged. "Hinata is still single, you know."

"I can't go out with Hinata or anyone else for that matter because _I _like someone!" Naruto crowed, and a little too loudly for the bartenders and the rest of the occupants' taste.

Sakura shot up like a rocket, the inner gossip in her struggling to break free. "_Oh_, who?" she asked as Inner Sakura began to pump her fists in the air.

Naruto belched and offered his friend a goofy grin as his body wilted. "It doesn't matter, that person is unatten—unattin—I can't get em'. The person, wouldn't even look at me in that way... Besides the person's already in a relationship," the blonde muttered and slumped his head against the bar table for once letting go off his mug.

The kunoichi's brows wrinkled as she took in the fatigued look of her friend. He looked tired and old for his young age. "There's plenty of fish in the sea, Naruto," she teased as she rubbed him on the back, not hearing him mutter

_'Dun want fish, want dolphin.'_

:p:

Naruto managed to slip away from a drunken Sakura singing show tunes and harassing the regulars to dance for her amusement as he stumbled down the streets of Konoha. The moon lighted his way as he stumbled not toward his home, but toward another's. Coming to a familiar-looking apartment complex, the blonde gathered some rocks and began throwing them at a window that still emitted a faint glow of light from within.

_Click!_

_Click!_

Naruto cursed his aim as one rock went sailing over the apartment complex and landed on a bird resting on the roof. The jounin nodded his head; small rocks were not working. He needed bigger rocks, perhaps one the size of his hand. The youth dropped to the ground searching for rocks as the window opened.

"Okay, who's the idio-- Naruto?" a voice questioned as the fox-faced man stumbled up onto his feet to see his first teacher staring down at him with concern. "Naruto. What are you doing down there? Were you the one throwing rocks at my window?" Iruka inquired as he narrowed his eyes at the figure, the only light coming from the lamppost a few meters back.

"_Ah_, hello Iruka!" the blonde yelled, waving his arm at the chuunin as a few of the rocks spilled from his hand and landed on the ground. The brunet sighed as he quickly teleported beside the jounin; the smoke made Naruto wrinkle his nose, but he nonetheless wrapped his arms around the Academy teacher when he was within range.

"Were you the idiot throwing rocks at my window?" Iruka asked as he rubbed his superior's back and allowed the fool to wrap shaking arms around his neck.

"No." Naruto purred as all the rocks slipped from his grasp and landed on the ground; the largest landed on Iruka's foot.

The chuunin hissed and hopped on his feet awkwardly, jostling the jounin. He looked at the blonde-haired wreck in his arms. "Naruto, you've been drinking." the teacher observed as he sniffed in the alcohol on the blonde's breath. "And they say I can't hold my drink. Well at least you're a nice drunk, Naruto." Iruka laughed since the boy seemed to be trying to worm his way into his clothes.

"_Oi_, Iruka what's the problem?" a voice called as Kakashi came to the window and kept his eye on the two ninjas. The Copy Ninja did a series of flips to get to the ground level, ignoring Iruka's very audible _'show-off'_ remark. "Naruto, _huh_, I should have kno—" the man was interrupted.

"Kakashi," the blonde slurred as he stumbled from Iruka's embrace, pushing the chuunin behind his drunken frame as if to defend him from the forces of evil. "I... I challenge you, Kakashi. I've come to take what's mine!" Naruto bellowed, his voice oscillating as lights from Iruka's apartment complex began to flicker on. "Face me, Kakashi!" The fox-faced man blurted and rushed forward, but only managed to trip over his feet and fall face first onto the ground.

"I didn't see that one coming... Challenging me to a duel, no less." Kakashi muttered as he kicked the jounin lightly in the head. "He's a funnier drunk than you, Iruka, but not as cuddly."

The Academy teacher bent down to help Naruto to his feet and glared at Kakashi, "I am not a cuddly drunk; and besides, Naruto's _way_ more cuddly than I could ever be—he was practically attached to my hip before you showed up." Iruka said, wrapping an arm around Naruto's shoulder.

The silver-haired ninja tilted his head to the side; something wasn't right about what Iruka had said. Something about it didn't agree with him and his chest tightened.

"Iruka!" Naruto squealed as he buried his nose into the chuunin's neck and wrapped his arms around his shoulder.

The chuunin laughed and then grimaced as he felt the jounin's runny nose come in contact with his neck. "I told you he was a cuddly drunk. I guess I should take him home though, he's going to have quite a headache tomorrow." Iruka hefted the boy's arm over his shoulder and turned to face his lover. "Sorry, Kakashi, but I should probably stay the night with him; I don't know how much alcohol he drank."

The Copy Ninja was silent throughout the ordeal and watched again as the boy snuggled into Iruka's neck. _'But he's not a boy anymore, is he?' _Kakashi thought as he looked at Naruto's tall frame, which almost reached his own height. The squeezing in Kakashi's chest and the boiling in his gut increased to the point that it felt like he would explode. Stalking over to the two ninjas, he quickly and harshly wrenched Naruto away from Iruka.

"I'll take him home, you go back inside, you have to work at the mission room tomorrow, don't you, and I'm free." Kakashi reasoned as the blonde jounin struggled in his grip; but soon he went quiet.

Before Iruka could even ask if the Copy Ninja was sure, the two jounins were bumbling down the street.

:p:

Kakashi kept his eyes in front of him as the youth in his arms gurgled something and then began to snore, falling into a light doze. He must have been mistaken. Naruto was not attracted to Iruka—the idiot was just drunk and uncoordinated. The Copy Ninja nodded his head; the brat was suffering from many problems, and not just the demon that lived within him. The engagement of his two team-members for one thing, must have set him off. Kakashi felt the pain in his chest decrease. _'Naruto was also just suspend—_

The silver-haired jounin's ears twitched as the Uzumaki in his grip seemed to mutter a stream of words under his breath. "Ah... Iru...ka. Iruka," the blonde moaned, wriggling uncomfortably in his former sensei's grasp.

Kakashi felt his stomach grow cold as he eyed Naruto. The fabric of his mask scrunched up to signal a scowl on his face. With a soft growl, Kakashi wrenched the boy forward and slammed him up against the wall of a shop.

The blonde awoke with a jolt and he found himself with Kakashi in a dark and quiet area. His former teacher was staring at him—no, _glaring_, with the look one might look at a foul-smelling bug, repulsive and easy to get rid of.

_"Naruto, I want you to listen to me and listen carefully." Kakashi began._

:p:

Uzumaki Naruto moaned and rolled off his bed in a heap on his messy floor. He was home. _'How did I get here...? Did someone bring me home? I remember the bar and... What happened next?'_ he thought as he opened, or at least _tried_ to open, his gummed eyes. His head throbbed wretchedly when he finally got his eyes open.

The jounin yipped and jumbled back into bed, grouching over that he still had his vest and ankle straps still on... whoever brought him home must not ha--. Naruto blinked and remembered.

_"Naruto, I want you to listen to me and listen carefully." Kakashi began._

* * *

**Author's Rant: **Yeah, the first chapter to my NaruIru multi-chapter story is completed! Before I go on with my rant I would just like to give a very huge thank you to my wonderful beta Alka-Setzer. Now I'm not too sure about this story at least for the beginning, should I rate it T or M, personally I see it as T-rated but with Naruto's little fantasy it may have been bumped up to Mature(I forgot to ask my beta their opinion). This story will be mainly a NaruIru but will have KakaIru and if everything goes according to plan it will end with a NaruIruKaka/KakaIruNaru(a threesome ). Check out my Yakushi Kabuto and Umino Iruka story if you have the time. On a final note this story was inspired from a short web comic I looked at on a Japanese website called Kanon. Thanks for reading my rant. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** Naruto is no longer a bumbling genin but a bumbling jounin whose hunger isn't only for ramen, now his eyes trails the steps of a chuunin, too bad the chuunin is already in a relationship.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a thing.

* * *

The beautiful face of the Godaime of Konoha pinched horribly as she reviewed the reports concerning one big-mouthed jounin, but not just any big-mouth-- Konoha was full of them. This jounin had a demon housed inside his stupid shell. 

_'Poor judgement... distracted... unnecessary violence to enemies AND team-mates... uncontrolled chakra... emitting red chakra... change in physique.'_

Tsunade shook her head as she placed down the report and looked piteously at the piles of complaints about the Uzumaki problem. A swift knock on her door made her ass sweat as she knew she was going to be chewed out by the two representatives from the council. _'They never did like me much.'_

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura quickly entered the office of their Hokage, not even bothering to wait for a polite greeting. Tsunade nodded her head to the guards at her side and then to her assistant Shizune. The black haired woman patted the head of the pig in her arms, shifting her chakra; she exited the room with a _poof!_

"I suppose you're here becau-- " The leader of Konoha was interrupted, her lips pursed in annoyance as Homura stepped in.

The old man hiked up his glasses, they seemed thicker than before and his face looked terribly withered and tired. "Because Uzumaki Naruto is _not_ the golden boy everyone thought he would be."

:p:

_"Naruto, I want you to listen to me and listen carefully." Kakashi began. The blonde merely lolled his head to the side, a cocky grin stretching across his pink lips. The grey-haired ninja shook the fool and had to use a good amount of control not to bash the young man's head into the wall. "Naruto!" Hatake growled, though the blonde's eyes continued to roll._

_"Yessss, Kakashi-sensei?" The young man laughed as his world spun; the glint in his former sensei's eyes got sharper, like a real pissed off dog just itching to bite._

_"I have no problems with your current relationship with Iruka, nor do I wish to come between the _**_familial relationship_**_ you two share__ but keep it at that. Iruka belongs to-- Naruto, listen!" Kakashi hissed and grabbed the jounin's chin._

_"I am, Kakashi-sensei." The fox-faced man giggled as he licked his dry lips; he was thirsty, he wanted another beer._

_"Iruka and I are already in a relationship. Do not come between us!" The man warned, his ears twitching to Naruto's tinkling laughter. Kakashi sighed and applied pressure to a spot of flesh between the neck and shoulder blades._

_With a gurgle, the intoxicated jounin blanked out and slumped to the ground. With half a mind to let him collapse and have him spend the night on the cold ground, Kakashi shook his head and continued to carry the idiot to his apartment._

:p:

Naruto buried his head into his pillow, gasping in pain and quickly shot out of bed. _'I didn't... Kakashi he... He knows... Did he tell Iruka?'_ The jounin's mind raced as his stomach tightened from the realization of his blunder and the after-effects of too much drinking.

The blonde stumbled to his bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. He felt sick and stupid, very stupid, as the pain in his gullet ebbed into a numb ache. Naruto reached his arm outward and flushed the toilet, almost wishing he could flush away his problems just as easily. He rested his hammering head on the cool tile floor.

_'What am I going to do... Iruka?'_ The man hiccupped as his heart raced and drummed fiercely in his chest. The blonde groaned and rubbed his forehead harder into the floor. _'Did Kakashi tell him…? Will Kakashi keep him from me? Will Iruka turn away from me?'_ Naruto breathed heavily as he brought his knees up to his chest.

:p:

While Uzumaki Naruto trembled in his bathroom, Umino Iruka snuggled deeper into his bed, the shine of the sun on his eyelids making him twitch and sigh. The scared nose man muffled something unintelligible and rubbed his face into his pillow. With a yawn he wrenched his head to the side to check his clock. _'That's funny, it didn't ring... did I wake up early?'_ the man pondered sleepily as he gawked at the time.

Iruka's torso shot out of bed, his legs entangled in his sheets. "I'm late!" the chuunin cried as he took another disbelieving glance at the time.

"As much as I enjoy seeing you flail around… _naked_… you're not late, Iruka," a calm voice laughed. Kakashi gracefully walked into his and his lover's bedroom, a cup of tea clenched in his hands. "I called in sick for you," the man muttered softly as he nudged Iruka back into bed and handed him the mug.

"You did?" the brown-skinned man took a sip and frowned. Kakashi didn't add enough sugar _again_. "Whatever for?" the academy teacher asked, as his lover flopped into bed and took off his shirt. Iruka frowned at the tense muscles quivering on his man's shoulder and back. "Is something wrong?" Iruka asked.

Hatake shook his head and smiled at his subordinate. "Nothing, I just wanted some alone time with you," the man explained as he snuggled up nice and close to his bed mate.

"_Oh_, well you won't have any complaints from me. Actually, I'm relieved. I'm supposed to scout out some new teacher's assistants for the academy while avoiding Tsunade-sama-- She gets so rabid on Saturdays, always looking for extra cash so she can_ 'test her luck on the slots,'"_ Iruka sighed as he placed the tea on his night stand and trailed his fingers against the jounin's shoulders. The grey-haired man retaliated by running fleeting fingers on Umino's stomach, close to his navel. Iruka snorted a laugh and brought up a new topic. "How is Naruto? Is he okay from last night?"

The brunette wrinkled his nose when Kakashi ceased his petting to wrap his arms around his waist instead, tucking Iruka's head below his chin. The Sharingan wielder muttered something Iruka could not catch and watched his Adam's apple bob. "Naruto is _fine_. I kept an eye on him so he wouldn't die in his sleep and left when he was starting to wake up," Hatake explained, his tone bored.

The scarred-nosed man nodded his head in approval and grunted as his lover rolled him onto his back, nicking him in the side with his knee. "Forget about Naruto, for now." Kakashi purred as he crawled on top of his lover. _'Just forget him.'_ "How about we make the most of your day off?" Kakashi growled as he began nipping the brunette's neck.

"_Oh_?" Iruka teased, pleasantly distracted as he steered Kakashi's mouth to a spot on his neck he always favoured. "I suppose we could get _down and dirty_ and do some..." The academy teacher swallowed a whimper as his lover squeezed his hip. "Early sprucing-- this apartment is turning into a real sty," the chuunin joked.

The Copy ninja breathed harshly through his nose and rewarded his chuckling man with a sour look. "Actually I had something _else_ in mind," the jounin rumbled as he glided his fingers down Iruka's stomach.

"Well I suppose the cleaning could be pushed back till a later date." Iruka breathed as deft fingers went past his abdomen.

"I thought so." Kakashi muttered as his hands clutched their target. A cocky smile curled at his lips when he heard Iruka gasp and curl his toes.

:p:

_'And here I thought I was too big for swings.'_ Naruto thought with a sad grin on his face as he plopped down on the old rickety swing set stationed in front of the Academy. After getting himself under control the man had simply wandered out onto the grounds of his village in a daze, not at all surprised that he soon found himself in front of the Academy, where he sat pitifully on the swing set where only one man would push him.

"_Iruka_," the blonde muttered as he began to lightly swing himself; it was awkward: his legs were just too long and the wooden seat was too small, but he continued to rock back and forth.

_'Academy's closed today—o' course, it's a Saturday. What was I going to do if he was here...? Confess?'_ Uzumaki narrowed his eyes at the thought and felt his palms sweat. The jounin twirled around in the swing set, knitting the chains together and attracting the attention of a wandering kunoichi. _'Not like he'd even be with me... Not with Kakashi around, and I don't want to make Kakashi sad, but... ' _

With a growl Naruto raised his arms and shovelled his fingers into his hair, mussing it up. "_Ahhh_, it's not fair!" the jounin screeched, but stiffened when he felt a presence behind him. "Hin-Hinata!" the fox faced man croaked shrilly as he gawked at the young woman.

The pale-eyed woman flushed and debated running away, but willed away her blush and approached the blonde with a strained smile. "Na-Naruto-kun," she greeted with a quick wave. The male jounin waved back, his face red as he lowered his gaze to the ground. The Hyuuga heiress frowned and took in the slump in Uzumaki's shoulders and quickly mulled over his previous outburst. Hinata took a seat on the swing set next to her unrequited love. "Are-- are you alright, Naruto-kun?"

The kyubbi's shell blinked his blue eyes and wanted to nod, wanted to dismiss the worry in her voice but he was so tired of keeping everything bottled up, it was killing him... especially for a loudmouth like him who just wanted to shout his problems. "Yes... _no_. No I'm not." the man muttered wondering if he could trust the young woman. He hadn't even trusted Sakura with the information because Sakura was loud as well; Hinata, on the other hand, was one of the quietest people he knew. "_Anou_, _saa_, Hinata I have this friend," Naruto began wanting to salvage some of his wounded pride but didn't notice the raised brow on Hyuuga's face, "And this friend is in love with someone but..."

"But your friend is too scared to confess or do anything about it." the raven haired kunoichi finished softly as Naruto stared at her in disbelief. "And your friend's beloved already has someone precious to them." Hinata murmured as the blonde gulped and nodded dumbly. "I used to have a friend like that-- well actually deep down she hasn't really changed."

Uzumaki rocked his feet back and forth and bit his lip._ 'Hinata has a friend like me... Perhaps she was able to help them,'_ the man thought, still utterly clueless to Hinata's infatuation with him. "Hinata, my friend's beloved _does_ have someone precious to them, but my friend... He wants to..." The fox faced man lowered his head and sighed. "Is it right to go after the one you love if they are already in a relationship?" Naruto asked.

The lovely kunoichi sucked in a small breath as she focused her gaze at her feet, a small smile tugging at her lips as the urge to confess welled up deep within her stomach. "I don't think it's a matter of right or wrong, but maybe..." Hinata trailed off _'maybe staying beside the one you love is good enough... Maybe giving up and watching from afar is good enough...'_ The Hyuuga heir had watched Naruto grow from a very lonely boy to a man beginning to stand as an icon of courage in their village, but his eyes were always glued to a pink haired kunoichi. But over the years they shifted to focus on someone else. _'It can't be Sakura he speaks of... So who?' _The kunoichi ignored the familiar ache of jealousy that gripped her heart. "Na-Naruto-kun, I think your friend should... "

"You think my friend should just give up. Not ruin the relationship they already have with their special person." the blonde moped his blue eyes downcast.

The female ninja shook her head. "_No_, I think they should go after the one they love. Sometimes giving up... giving up is a _very _painful and lonely thing to do. If your friend is truly in love it might be best for them to-- Na-- Naruto-kun." Hyuuga stammered as the male jounin launched himself at her, the swing set trembled.

"Hinata!" Uzumaki chirped as he gave the woman a great bear hug, "_Hn_, _hn_, you're a good friend you know that!" the blonde burbled happily as he released the stunned kunoichi and hopped onto his feet with a spring in his step. "Next time your free I'll treat you to ramen!" the blonde ninja yelled waving his arms madly in the air and then he sped off, ignoring the dazed look in the woman's pale eyes and the pink blush on her sweating cheeks.

The Hyuuga heiress allowed a soft sigh to puff through her lips as she continued to stare in the direction Naruto had ran off in. She was so focused she completely ignored the small bug that landed on her arm and the approach of footsteps and a loud bark.

"_Ah_, there she is... Hinata!" a voice called as two men stepped into the playground followed by a large white dog. "Hinata." Kiba spoke softly as he tapped the woman on the shoulder.

The small bug on the kunoichi's arms fluttered its wing and buzzed away to slip inside the sleeves of her master's coat. "Naruto was just here." Shino explained calmly as one of his drones relayed the information.

Akamaru barked softly and went to lick the raven haired kunoichi's knuckles as she continued to ignore her team-mates, a twinkling daze in her pale eyes. "_Oh boy_, Hinata, not again." Kiba muttered as he went to shake the goofy smile off his team-mate's face.

:p:

"I'm sorry, Iruka sent in a sick notice today." a female jounin explained calmly, sitting in at a desk in the mission room. The Academy teacher had called in a sick day and she agreed to be his fill-in, she needed the extra money ever since she bought a very saucy looking kimono.

"_Mouu_," Naruto's face drooped the energy and excitement of confessing to Iruka was beginning to waver. _'If he's sick maybe I should check up on him... bring him some ramen, hn,... but Kakashi's probably there taking care of hi-- '_ the blonde was interrupted from his mental banter as the kunoichi coughed again to get his attention.

"I was wondering if a young man such as yourself would be interested in a TA position at the Academy?" the mission desk ninja questioned, irritation settling upon her face after repeating herself.

Uzumaki stiffened as he frowned at the kunoichi, his whiskers crinkled. "I don't think that's a good idea I've been exposed to a lot of perverts in my life from closet to open... kids that young should not be introduced into the world of _'tits n as--'_"

"NO!" the woman bellowed a pink flush on her face as she held up a piece of paper. "_This_ is a sign-up sheet for a _Teacher's Assistant_ position at the Academy."

_"Teacher's Assistant?"_

:p:

"Well out with it, just what did happen on that mission with Uzumaki Naruto?" Tsunade inquired a growl in her tone and frowned at her own behaviour but her meeting with council had been long and tedious. She had arranged for a first-hand account hearing about the mission instead acting on written reports which could be read out of context and have perspectives distorted.

Tonkawa Ai, a seasoned chuunin and one of the three mission team-mates that accompanied Uzumaki Naruto on a scroll retrieval mission in Grass Country, quivered before her leader as well as the two stern looking council representatives. Shizune clutched onto Ton-Ton tighter ignoring the pigs _oink!_ and looked at her mentor with pleading eyes of patience... the former Sannin ignored her.

The leader of Konoha drummed her fingers against her desk and shifted her eyes toward Morino Ibiki. The ninja nodded as he crept up behind the chuunin and placed a re-assuring hand on her shoulder. Ai tensed her eyes wide as everyone noticed the vice grip Ibiki held her in and the sound of flesh grinding onto bone. "Your Hokage asked you a question Tonkawa-san."

The chuunin nodded her head; her mind clearing a she wetted her lip, the truth serum still sweet on her tongue.

_"Well it began as a standard scroll retrieval mission, but Uzumaki... "_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Once again a big thank you to Alka-Setzer for betaing this lovely chapter for me! And another thank you to all the reviews I received for chapter one of _Interlude_. I agree a possessive Kakashi is very attractive. Well I hope you enjoy chapter two and look out for chapter three in 2007. Oh, and a bit of a note, I don't plan to discontinue this story but the holidays are coming to an end and updating may be a bit more stretched due to school, work… etc. So hang on, this story may be a bit slow with updates but it will be completed. Thanks for reading. 


	3. Chapter 3

The chuunin nodded her head, her mind clearing as she wetted her lips, the truth serum still sweet on her tongue. "Well it began as a standard scroll retrieval mission, but Uzumaki..."

Ai trailed off slightly searching for the right words. The saccharinity on her tongue was now unbearable and the ache in her shoulder made her swoon. "Uzumaki seemed to have been agitated or per-- perhaps disturbed even before he left out for the mission."

Tsunade raised a brow and one of the council members shifted, ready to question when the blonde sent them a steely glare. The councilmen retreated, the message was heard. "Disturbed? How so?" the Godaime inquired clicking her fingers together in concentration.

Tonkawa straightened; the heavy gaze of her Hokage was truly affecting her. "We thought, _uh_, Gyoza and Kira-kun and I at first thought Uzumaki was overly conscious of the mission, anxious and worried of us being ambushed. However after the second day of following the trail of the thieves, Uzumaki foolishly rushed into traps and other planted obstacles, ignoring our warnings and advice."

Shizune bit her lip and felt her shoulders droop to hear such negative news about a friend. The chuunin continued regardless. "Gyoza was team leader, so he tried to persuade Uzumaki to follow his orders or at least get him to return to Konoha if he was going to continue with his actions. And then it went silent. Kira-kun and I were a few meters away to give them some privacy. Everything seemed well until Gyoza let out a terrible shriek. It was so-- so _fast_. We didn't see Uzumaki move, but Gyoza was on the ground clutching his face, _his bleeding face, screaming about the heat as shredded flesh seeped through--"_

Tsunade grunted and Ibiki gave the woman a quick shake, snapping the chuunin out of her stupor. The Hokage clicked her tongue against her teeth; she knew about Gyoza's mangled face. She had mended it as much as she could. "Continue." she breathed.

Ai licked her lips and saw her leader's eyes narrow just _so _and she felt her lips move. "Kira-kun and I went to intervene and we saw chakra, red chakra, seep from Uzumaki. His body had also altered: the marks on his face intensified, his teeth elongated and his eye colour changed from blue to red. Suddenly he launched himself at Kira-kun, scratching and biting at his neck and face and pulling his hair."

Tsunade nodded; it was a pity-Kira did have such lovely, silver hair. The Godaime refocused on the chuunin.

"Uzumaki was hissing something as he tugged at Kira-kun's hair, but I couldn't hear what. I went to pry Uzumaki off of Kira-kun, but that was when the thieves we were tracking appeared and attacked--"

The former Sannin growled, quickly getting up from her chair and paced around her desk. Her hands trembled as she ached to slam her fists into something to ease her rage, but the unimpressed looks from the uptight council representatives had her turn sharply to look out at her village. Her Konoha.

With a shaky exhale of air, the Hokage regained her composure and calmly sat in her chair, eyeing her ninjas. "I think I've heard enough. Ibiki, Ai, you two are dismissed," she said smoothly; with a nod, the jounin led the chuunin out.

Tsunade licked her lips and turned to her quiet assistant and raised an elegant brow. Shizune shifted the pig in her arms and quickly walked towards her teacher, lowering her ear to her leader's lips. "I want you to tell Sakura, and try to find her blushing fiancé as well and tell them they have an audience with me," the Godaime whispered. With a nod, the black haired ninja walked out the door, casting a wary glance towards the council representatives.

The old councilwoman, Koharu, her body beginning to ache, padded softly to the edge of the window to look out at her home. "This is quite a mess," she breathed; Tsunade's response was a piggish snort.

Homura bristled in his grey robes, "What do you plan to do, Hokage-sama?" the old man didn't ask, but _demanded_, as he stared at the beautiful, blonde woman.

The medical ninja placed her elbows on her desk and steepled her fingers together, a grim look marring her fake youthful features. "I am going to get to the bottom of this. Investigate why our boy is acting out, perhaps the seal needs to be strengthened," the woman muttered as she cast rich, brown eyes towards the silent council members. "I'm hoping I have your support on this and you can hold the rest of the council at bay."

Koharu stepped away from the window and lowered her body towards Tsunade's ear. "You'll have our support, Hokage-sama... as long as we have yours," she whispered while the blonde turned curious eyes towards the old woman. "I think were all in agreement that the last thing we want is for the Kyubbi to gain control, if it hasn't already."

Tsunade nodded her head; she _knew_ all that, she _understood_ that.

Homura straightened his glasses. "The people of Konoha will not stand another attack from that demon, Hokage-sama," the old man stated calmly as his leader gnashed her teeth together for what she thought he was suggesting. "Do not fret, Konoha cannot lose the container, his potential simply astounds the council, they are not ready to lose him...as of now. But we must make precautions. Uzumaki must be observed from now on."

The Sannin stiffened in her chair and stared hard at the wrinkled flesh on the councilwoman's' face. Koharu slid her chilled, old hands to rest on the Godaime's.

"He is a threat to Konoha, Hokage-sama," she said simply, and it was enough.

:p:

"_Anou sa, Anou sa_, so you're saying that if I take this teacher's assistant position, I get to work in the academy with a teacher?" Naruto babbled excitedly, the grin on his face stretching.

The kunoichi nodded her head._ 'This one seems a little slow,'_ she thought as she placed the pamphlet into the man's hands.

The blonde laughed, raising a fist into the air. "_Yosh_." he cheered and fixed the kunoichi a determined stare. "Iruka-sensei. Pair me with Iruka-sensei," the man demanded impatiently as the woman curled her lip at the jounin's attitude.

She shook her head, "It doesn't work that way, the TA doesn't get to choose the teacher they'll work with, and many factors have to be applied and besides..." the kunoichi said quite smoothly, wanting to irritate the man before her. "You're not the only one to have asked to be paired with Iruka."

Uzumaki recoiled, his fox face contorted into a look of surprise. "_Ehh!_" the man hollered and visibly wilted on the spot as he turned sad blue eyes towards the female ninja. "Isn't there anything you can do to pair me with Iruka-sensei?" the vessel of the Kyuubi asked as the woman huffed, averting her eyes to the side. "Please, oh pretty, nice and—and--" the boy floundered for the right words as he saw the kunoichi's fierceness slowly fade away. "-- And smart Obaa-chan."

The desk ninja stiffened as a vein pulsed in her temple. Rising from her seat she pointed to the exit. "O-- obaa-chan? I'm only--! _Out_! Get out of here!" the kunoichi shouted.

Naruto winced. "Bu-- but Obaa-chan." he pleaded, stepping forward trying to placate the fuming woman. He dodged to the left when a heavy looking folder was hurled at his head, and sadly hit a young genin in the face.

The kunoichi huffed and narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Go." she barked.

Uzumaki nodded frantically and quickly _poofed_ from sight, the soft whisper of _'cranky ole hag'_ drifting from his spot.

:p:

The blonde sprawled out on top of a random roof, soaking in the sun's rays. With a grunt the man rolled from side to side. "She didn't have to yell at me like that. What I do wrong?" Naruto mumbled and kicked his legs into the air.

The jounin huffed and frowned in thought. _'That didn't go well at all. If only she had just agreed or-- or I dunno,'_ the vessel of the Kyubbi mulled over the kunoichi's reaction as he scratched his stomach just above his navel.

"It would be so _coool_ to work along side Iruka. We'd see each other more, talk more and maybe stay after school and clean or mark or whatever, right when the brats are gone-- us, alone together..." Uzumaki trailed off and squirmed on the spot, feeling hot and itchy at just the thought of a night-time session with the Academy teacher.

The ninja sat up and wrinkled his nose. "But thanks to that mean ole hag, she'll probably make sure I don't get anywhere near Iruka," the blonde growled, a deep rumble emitting from his gullet, causing a roosting bird to hop away from its perch and fly away in alarm.

_'Even if I did manage to get the position, what would I do then? Confess? Sweep Iruka off his feet and steal him away from Kakashi?' _The man felt a tingle go through his spine as he battled with his emotions.

"_AHHH_, and Hinata-san made it sound so easy, too! _Mouuu_!" Naruto bellowed causing the strolling citizens of Konoha, just below to stare up at the hollering jounin in alarm.

Blinking his blue eyes, the jounin rocked his body into a crouch. "_Heh_. No point worrying about it now," the man sighed as he leapt off the roof and landed neatly on the ground, ignoring the stares as he went into a light walk, heading towards Ichiraku.

_'I bet Iruka would appreciate if I brought him some ramen since he's sick,'_ the jounin reasoned like the ramen-fanatic he was._ 'Maybe Kakashi won't be there and if he is...'_ Naruto pondered as he rounded a corner, side-stepping a scruffy looking kitten.

_"Oi! Naruto!"_ a voice called, bringing Uzumaki out of dark, troubling thoughts. The jounin saw the owner of the Ichiraku ramen bar, Teuchi, waving at him pleasantly. A grin stretched across the blonde's whiskered face and he waved back as he dashed forward to place his rump on his usual seat, just in front of the chef.

"_Na,_ _na_, hey Oji-chan, how's it goin--" the man cut off his tirade as he saw the shopkeeper and only another assistant. "_Heey_, where's _Fatty_... _err_... Ayame-chan?" the ninja asked as he settled himself and placed his elbows on the serving table.

The Owner shook his head at his second best customer's latest nickname for his very pregnant daughter. "She's at home resting, thank goodness for your sake; she'd skewer you if she heard you calling her _that_ again." Teuchi _tsked_ when he saw Naruto shrug off his warning with a grin. He sighed. "So what are ya having... the usual?"

The blonde shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest to look more professional. "_Naww_, I want the healthiest ramen you got... maybe the vegetable one. Vegetables are healthy." Uzumaki bobbed his head up and down.

The shopkeeper ceased his stirring of noodles. "Yeah... but why the interest in being so healthy? You're the healthiest youngster I've ever met."

Naruto beamed a toothy grin at the man, his whiskers twitching. "Not for me," he laughed, "It's for Iruka-sensei. He's sick."

The civilian bristled and stared at the jounin for a moment, then shook his head and grabbed a few extra seasonings. "Sick, _huh_, I should've known. Iruka only eats the vegetable flavour when he's sick, so I usually add something extra for him," the man explained as he sprinkled a few spices into the boiling broth.

Naruto bounced in his seat upon finding out this little tidbit of Iruka's life. The blonde sniffed and felt his stomach respond to the smell of boiling noodles, steamed vegetables and just ramen. He was getting hungry... but he needed to save up some money, he wasn't sure when he'd be assigned missions again.

"Hoi," the owner chirped as he placed a lidded Styrofoam bowl on the counter. Naruto nodded his head, fishing for his wallet but the shopkeeper shook his head. "On the house," the man explained calmly, cringing at Naruto's whoop of joy.

Uzumaki grinned and bowed his head, expecting a good hair ruffle but when he did not feel the familiar rake of fingers through his golden tresses he blinked his blue eyes in curiosity. The ramen chef was holding out his hand. "Huh?" Naruto blurted intelligently.

Teuchi smiled kindly and grabbed Naruto's hand and shook once, twice, three times and let it go. "You're a good man, Naruto."

The blonde stared at the owner with a bit wonder and then dropped his head to gaze at his still twitching hand.

_It was quite a sight to see Uzumaki Naruto speechless._

"Now, get out of here and deliver this meal to Iruka," the man barked playfully, shooing the jounin from the stand.

The vessel of the Kyuubi nodded his head and shuffled down the street. "_Unh!_" he called and was off.

:p:

"... What _are_ you doing?" the dull voice of Uchiha Sasuke questioned, turning annoyed black eyes towards his fiancé. The couple had been waiting patiently outside the doors to their Hokage's office. When Shizune announced they would be meeting with her in a few minutes, Sakura had grabbed the Uchiha's hand.

The pink haired kunoichi blinked her green eyes and smiled awkwardly. "I'm... I'm holding your hand," Sakura explained slowly as she ignored the jerk from her fiancé's limb.

Sasuke blinked and rewarded the medical ninja with a frank look. "I know that, but _why_ are you holding my hand?" he asked.

The woman frowned and tightened her grip, "Because I want to. What's wrong with holding hands?" she pouted, and her only answer was a sigh. The two ninjas went quiet, waiting to be summoned into their leader's office.

_"Sakura,"_ the Sharingan-wielder breathed.

The kunoichi stiffened her grip even stronger than before. The way her Sasuke called her name, it was so soft and sweet and urgent. "Ye-- yes Sas--dear." she answered with a large grin and frowned when she saw the grimace on his face.

"Sakura, you're crushing my hand-- _let go_." the man hissed and tried to shake the pink-haired woman off of him.

The medical ninja yelped and released her crushing hold on her fiancé. Haruno took a tentative step closer to her fiancé and eyed his hand. "... It looks like I broke the bone in your _ring finger_." She stuttered a laugh.

Sasuke sighed and regarded his soon to be wife with a mild glare, opening his mouth to say something mean but was silenced when the doors to the Godaime's office opened.

Shizune popped her black head through the door and smiled at the couple. "Well, come in, com-- Sasuke-san, what happened your hand?" the black haired kunoichi questioned as she eyeballed the swollen flesh and the way a finger was awkwardly angled.

The Uchiha merely harrumphed and briskly walked into the office, leaving the two kunoichis to exchange worried looks.

Sakura dashed after the dark-haired ninja, ignoring the questioning look she received from her Hokage as she went to grab the Uchiha's broken hand. "Let me heal it for you, Sasuke-kun, please," she urged.

The Sharingan-wielder blinked and resisted the urge to remove his hand and deal with the problem himself, the determined look on the medical ninja's face said otherwise. With a defeated sigh Sasuke nodded, ears ringing to Sakura's squeal of joy.

Tsunade exchanged a puzzled look with her assistance and shook her head as the couple ambled towards her desk.

"_Ah_, the Uchihas, I'm pleased you could make it," the blonde teased, easing back in her chair, which caused an irritated _oink!_ from Ton-Ton who was napping at her feet.

Sakura swooned at the title and felt her control on her healing jutsu slipping but was quickly placed on track when her fiancé cleared his throat and raised a brow at the Godaime.

Tsunade laughed, and motioned for Shizune to stand by her side. Konoha's leader soon became serious, her features hardening and to her pleasure, her ninjas straightened up. "I'll get the point; you two were summoned because of Naruto." She began as two out of three members of Team Seven nodded their heads.

"Before he left on that disaster of a mission, did you notice anything odd about him?"

:p:

_"So much for sprucing."_ Umino Iruka mumbled as he raked his fingers through tangled wet hair. His escapades with Kakashi didn't cease in the bedroom and had extended throughout the apartment, leaving the furniture a little disorganized and a questionable smell that had the Academy teacher opening all the windows. His apartment was an even bigger sty than before. After acknowledging the mess, Iruka had taken a shower to clear his head and had just finished, still wrapped in a dark blue robe.

His ears twitched to the slippery sounds of feet on the bath-tub, Kakashi was taking his turn.

The brunette's eyes suddenly fixed on the door, he could sense someone hunkering outside and Iruka prepared to fetch something large and heavy if it was a potential intruder.

_Knock! Knock!_

_"Iruka!"_

The brunette could hear the skid of feet on the tub and the shower abruptly shut off. The chuunin blinked in surprise and shook his head. Kakashi had just stepped into the shower, he couldn't have been done, but the chuunin dismissed it and focused on his guest. "The number one in surprising people," he laughed as he headed towards the door.

"Hello, Naruto," Iruka called and yanked open the door.

The blonde, knuckles still poised in the air to knock on the door again, froze. The jounin thought he heard his lips squeak out a hasty _'hey' _but he couldn't be too concerned with that when he took in the teacher's appearance.

Naruto quickly closed his eyes to slits, feeling the image burn into his retinas. The image of a damp Iruka, dressed in a loosely drawn robe with his hair down to his shoulders. The vessel of the Kyuubi groaned and was soon rushed into the apartment by a worrying chuunin.

"Naruto, you okay?" the Academy teacher questioned as he ushered the blonde to sit on a chair in the kitchen.

The jounin winced and nodded his head, "_Huh_, _ahhh_, yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." the younger of the two ninja reassured. Iruka opened his mouth to speak but was cut-off. "Besides you're the sick one I should be asking if _you're_ okay."

Umino flushed and scratched at his scar sheepishly as he too took a seat. "Not quite sick, you see. Kakashi decided I needed a day off, and who was I to complain?" the man coughed lightly.

The blonde blinked and awkwardly held out the bag he held. "Oh, well I got this for you but I guess you don't nee--"

The Academy teacher snatched the parcel and brought out the Styrofoam bowl, taking a good sniff and smiled at the blonde. "Come now, you know I'd never turn down free food… especially if it's ramen," the brunette chuckled as he popped open the lid and narrowed his eyes. "Just vegetables," the man playfully pouted as he saw no meat, fish or eggs.

Naruto moped. "_Ahh_... I thought you were sick so I thought I'd pick you up something healthier." he explained with a scratch to his whiskered cheek.

Iruka blinked and dipped his finger into the broth and sucked it into his mouth, not noticing Naruto's squirm. "_Mmm_, this is the type the old man always gives me when I'm sick, even though I keep telling him the meat would help, nothing wrong with extra protein," the teacher smiled brightly at his superior. "Thanks Naruto, you did good." He beamed and patted the man on the shoulder.

The blonde brightened, "_Well_," he went on, "If you insist." The jounin laughed and rubbed Iruka's hand.

The chuunin nodded, all the while stuffing noodles into his mouth. "_Mmm_, delicious," the teacher burbled through his mouthful, causing the vessel to snicker. "I'm gonna share half with Kakashi."

Uzumaki winced and looked at the teacher. "Oh, Kakashi's still here?" he questioned and watched Iruka bob his head.

"Yeah, he should be getting out of the shower very soon."

Naruto eyed the hallway leading towards the bathroom and blinked. _"Oh."_

* * *

**Author's Rant:** For the readers who have been waiting for an update, I apologize for it being so long, but I'm not gonna lie: I'm slow, lazy and real life issues get in the way. But I did manage to _finally_ finish chapter three. Thanks again to Alka-Setzer, my wonderful beta for editing this chapter for me. Next chapter we'll have Naruto, Iruka and Kakashi altogether… hmm, wonder how it'll go? Some small pimpage, I have a story on my livejournal called _'Close Your Eyes'_ (involving Iruka of course and it's another rare pair). This one involves sex and a squick to some readers, so please check the rating and warning before reading. Thanks for reading.


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